A cat by any other name
by silverstairs
Summary: How Sergio got his name.


A cat by any other name

"Maybe I should get a cat…"

 _Two weeks later_

Emily stretched in her chair and tried but failed to suppress another yawn. She flicked her eyes over to the clock for the umpteenth time that afternoon.  
"Again?"  
Startled Emily raised her eyebrows at Morgan, silently questioning him.  
"Em, you've had your eyes on that clock more than anything else all day, I know it's Friday and all but what's up with you?"  
She shot him a tired smile before replying, "I've a date tonight", and tried not to laugh at Morgan's shocked expression. She spent the rest of the afternoon deflecting question after question from Morgan, which surprisingly made six o'clock arrive faster. She left the bullpen on time for once with Morgan stating he expected more information on Monday, assuming a case didn't interrupt her date.

Garcia managed to ambush Emily on her way out of the office,  
"Emily, here's the address that you were looking for."  
"Thanks Garcia, you're the best." At Garcia's lack of quip in return Emily looked up and took in the blonde's hopeful expression and knew suddenly what she wanted to ask.  
"Yes, Garcia?"  
"The thing is, I was just wondering, if I could come with you tonight, It's just Kevin won't come with me and it looks creepy sad to go alone."  
"Garcia, Kevin won't go with you because he's allergic, and it's the twenty first century it's acceptable to do most things on your own now Pen." Emily couldn't help feel bad at Garcia's slightly crestfallen expression but she knew it was better than an allergy ridden evening with Kevin. She squeezed Garcia's hand and said, "I'll send you lots of pictures tonight and when he's trained you can meet him", she joked. Garcia looked slightly cheered at the thought of it.

Hotch looked out of his office, surprised to see Prentiss wasn't at her desk. He walked out onto the landing, "Morgan, where's Prentiss?"  
"You just missed her Hotch, she left about ten minutes ago."  
"A call just came in from the Louisville field office, they need her to be there first thing on Monday, I better call over and drop over the files they faxed over", he looked down at his watch and figured if he left now he could be at Jessica's by eight to collect Jack. Quickly he collected the files and made his way out of the office, before Morgan called him back.  
"Hotch, Emily probably won't be home by the time you get there", he scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "she's got a date tonight man."  
"Very well, I'll just push them under her door, thanks Morgan, have a good weekend."

Hotch barely heard Morgan's "Thanks man, you too." He moved robotically out of the bullpen into the elevator. He rarely gave any thought as to what his teammates did outside of work, mostly because they had so little time outside of work. For some reason he never pictured Emily being on a date, he figured the idea of a date would bore her and she wouldn't be into the whole meal and wine thing at a fancy restaurant. On second thought she probably would be into the wine. He recalled that she had mentioned she didn't have the best dating track-record, then he remembered the black dress she had been wearing when she said it and failed to see why someone like her would be disastrous at dating.

Twenty minutes later Hotch arrived at her apartment, on a whim he decided to knock on her door, just to make sure she got the files, then his job would be done. To his surprise Emily opened the door, still in her work clothes although her high heels were off and her hair was up.  
"Hotch? Do we have a case?" she asked, absentmindedly reaching for her phone to check any missed messages.  
"No no, the field office in Louisville called and they need you there on Monday to review a case, I just brought the files that they faxed over."  
A look passed over Emily's face, one he hadn't seen before, he was soon distracted by a tiny black ball of fluff at his ankle.

"Sorry about him", Emily said bending down to pick up the fluff ball. "I um decided to get a cat, I collected him this evening after work from the local shelter."  
"What's his name?" Hotch asked reaching out to stroke the kitten.  
"I haven't decided yet actually."  
Hotch carefully kept his eyes on the cat before saying, "What about Kurt? After the writer."

"Kurt", Emily said tasting the name in her mouth before she said, "He's too sleek for that, I think something Italian would suit him." Suddenly her eyes lit up, "What about Rossi?" she smiled mischievously, before adding, "After the writer yanno." Hotch couldn't help but laugh, which caused a startled kitten to wriggle out of Emily's arms and dart down the hall.  
"Oh balls, I'll be back in a sec, why don't you come in?" It took Hotch a second to respond after hearing Emily Prentiss say balls.  
"I uh should get going, let you get ready for your date", he called down the hall. Emily's voice floated back to him, "Date, what date...Oh Morgan."  
She reappeared and ushered him over to the couch, "This little guy is my date; I was only playing with Morgan."

An hour later and Hotch and Emily were still reviewing names, unsurprisingly Emily knew a lot of Italian names having lived there when she was younger. Both their jackets were slung over the back of the couch, it even looked like Hotch had loosened his tie a bit. The kitten was curled up contently on his lap.  
"He likes you", Emily commented.  
"Surprised the Reid effect hasn't rubbed off on me yet", Hotch joked. Emily liked off duty Hotch, she realised her body language also indicated she very much liked off duty Hotch, her body was fully facing him and if it wasn't for the fact that she was rubbing her pet's back they would be in a very compromising position indeed.

She was about to pull away when Hotch said, "Sergio."  
"I'm sorry?"  
"You could call him Sergio, I don't think we tried that one yet."  
"Sergio…Sergio. I like it, it's perfect."

"Hotch…how did you know about Kurt Vonnegut?" He realised his suggestion hadn't gone unnoticed and cleared his throat before responding. "Sometimes, after a bad case, you read Mother Night and your lips move, mouthing words that you know almost off by heart." He didn't admit that he had bought all the Kurt Vonnegut books and had read quite a few in the hope someday it would come up in conversation, and he would make her day and not Morgan. She looked astonished, her eyes wide as slowly she moved in closer to him, as if he would be frightened off by any sudden movements. To the surprise of them both he met her half way, eyes closed, their lips almost touching his hand came up to rest on her cheek. An inch closer and their lips would meet, as he moved to close the minuscule gap Emily's phone buzzed in her lap.

Just like that the gap was a chasm once again. She all but leapt away from him when she saw the name flash up on the screen. Hotch delicately moved the now sleeping Sergio onto the couch and gestured to the door as Emily answered the phone. She merely nodded in response cursing whoever was calling her.

"Prentiss", she said curtly into her mobile, her heart sinking as she heard the door click behind her.

 **Author's Note: I've had this idea floating around for ages but just haven't had the time to develop it. I'm pretty sure it's canon and here's the evidence; in the very first episode of Criminal Minds there's a scene where Haley and Hotch discuss baby names and Hotch jokingly suggests Sergio. Fast forward a few years and what's Emily's cat called?**

 **I hope you enjoyed this oneshot/twoshot I'm not exactly sure if I'll continue although I have an idea for the phone-call. Let me know what you think. All reviews are sooooo appreciated so please read, enjoy and review!**


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